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Topic Review (Newest First)

01-19-2012 12:05 PM

killarney_sailor

Our plan is to only stay in Brazil for a short time unfortunately to give us a break on the long trip up the Atlantic from Cape Town. According to Cornell, the trip up the coast of Brazil from the Rio area is very hard because of currents and adverse winds. We thought that going to Salvador was a reasonable compromise since it is not too far from the 'corner' of Brazil (400 nm?). Just bought a Lonely Planet for Brazil and will start considering where to go visit. Also have to get a cruising guide for the country.

01-19-2012 08:08 AM

copacabana

Killarney-Sailor, another consideration is the time limit imposed on foreign boats in Brazil (6 months) and the distances involved along the coast of Brazil. Brazil is a BIG country and the logistics of getting up the Amazon far enough to make the trip really interesting within your 6-month limit is going to be difficult, especially if you want to see some of the coast as well and take in places like Salvador (as you should). A lot of foreign boats stay 6 months in Brazil then stay a spell in Uruguay or Argentina to reset the clock and return again for another 6 months. This way they have enough time to really enjoy some of the coast. Most will leave Brazil heading north to the Caribbean, taking advantage of the prevailing winds and strong north-setting currents in the north of Brazil (only the truly insane try to sail to Brazil from the Caribbean).

On 6 December 2001, pirates shot and killed Blake while he was on an environmental exploration trip in South America, monitoring global warming and pollution for the United Nations. The two-month expedition was anchored off Macapá, Brazil, at the mouth of the Amazon delta, waiting to clear customs after a trip up the Amazon river. At around 9 pm a group of six to eight armed, masked robbers wearing balaclavas and crash helmets boarded the Seamaster. As one of the robbers held a gun to the head of a crewmember, Blake sprang from the cabin wielding a rifle. He shot one of the assailants in the hand before the rifle malfunctioned; he was then fatally shot in the back by assailant Ricardo Colares Tavares.[3][4] The boarders injured two other crew members with knives, and the remaining seven were unhurt.[5]

The only booty the attackers seized from Seamaster was a 15 hp outboard motor and some watches from the crew. Authorities eventually captured the pirates and sentenced them to an average of 32 years in prison each; Tavares, the man who fired the fatal shots, received a sentence of 36 years 9 months.[3]

Prior to the attack, the yacht's crew had been very careful when travelling up the river and back down again; they always had crew members on watch. Only upon return to Macapa did they relax their guard.

01-05-2012 12:59 AM

Capt Len

Venezuela speaks Spanish. Brazil speaks Portuguese. They are different countries.Both have some citizens who want your stuff. My understanding is that Peter Blake was killed as he rushed on deck against intruders, . This also happened in the BC Gulf Islands a few year ago. and in Mexico yesterday .It can happen any where and any time .Not to live in fear but a bit of homework and preparedness may avoid the common armed visitor who sees an easy mark. No easy answers, but Slocum used carpet tacks.

01-04-2012 10:03 PM

1833usmc

Check with U.S. State Department travel warning list. Once under way, re-check the list every few days. Pirates are not stupid. They are amphibious criminals. They change their M.O.'s and move around to reduce their risk. Stay aware of your surroundings and simply travel smart.

12-24-2011 05:33 PM

tdw

Copa .... Happy to acknowledge that you would probably know more about the Bake incident that I do. Cheers.
TD

12-24-2011 04:38 PM

copacabana

1.5m draft is fine. There are no cruising guides for the region, but you can get charts and get local advice while there. It's not to hard to cruise there and if you always move around on a low tide you can float off later if you go aground. As you get closer to the date of arrival you can PM me and I'll try to put together an information package for you. FYI, all Brazilian charts are available for free on line as raster charts, so if you use laptop charting you're all set to go.

12-24-2011 04:15 PM

killarney_sailor

Thanks for the information

Quote:

Originally Posted by copacabana

Killarney, carnaval in Salvador is a good call indeed. FYI, there is a pretty serious pirate problem in the Amazon and you'd want to look into this before going. Most of the pirate activity involves raiding transport boats that carry goods (mainly electronics) out of the "zona franca" of Manaus. There have been a number of deaths, Peter Blake's being the most known. It wasn't a "revenge" killing as suggested above. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time and reacted. There is a French cruising rally that goes into the Amazon and if I'm not mistaken they hire armed police boats for protection. All boats are at some degree of risk in the Amazon. That said, the rest of Brazil doesn't have a pirate problem. While the Amazon is an amazing cruising destination, there are other equally amazing and less-known cruising grounds. Check out the network of inland rivers, islands and mangroves between Paranaguá, PR and Cananeia, SP. It's one of the richest ecosystems in Brazil and an incredible place to explore if you have shallow draft.

Thanks for this. It is interesting saying that you want to be somewhere halfway around the world in 14 months. Should be easy to arrange it, but you never know. The rivers that you mention - we have 1.5 m draft, is that ok? Is it charted or is there a cruising guide that covers it?

As for the one that needs translation, it is nice that we are so international. Not sure of the language even - not Chinese, perhaps Japanese?

12-24-2011 03:08 PM

copacabana

Killarney, carnaval in Salvador is a good call indeed. FYI, there is a pretty serious pirate problem in the Amazon and you'd want to look into this before going. Most of the pirate activity involves raiding transport boats that carry goods (mainly electronics) out of the "zona franca" of Manaus. There have been a number of deaths, Peter Blake's being the most known. It wasn't a "revenge" killing as suggested above. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time and reacted. There is a French cruising rally that goes into the Amazon and if I'm not mistaken they hire armed police boats for protection. All boats are at some degree of risk in the Amazon. That said, the rest of Brazil doesn't have a pirate problem. While the Amazon is an amazing cruising destination, there are other equally amazing and less-known cruising grounds. Check out the network of inland rivers, islands and mangroves between Paranaguá, PR and Cananeia, SP. It's one of the richest ecosystems in Brazil and an incredible place to explore if you have shallow draft.

12-24-2011 11:06 AM

killarney_sailor

I think that my flight back to Oz is March 23 and going west I actually get there on the same day. Coming back to Canada it was two days later. Crossing the dateline by boat at 6 knots is really different than crossing it by plane at 600.

I looked at the 2011 piracy map and there was one incident toward the end of Madagascar. More of a problem if you are coming from a bit further north than Chagos. I think the decision will be based on decisions about time usage - how much to spend in Indonesia, Chagos, Mauritius, Madagascar/Mozambique, South Africa. I think I do want to hit the Carnival in Brazil so may work back from Feb 7 there.

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